Happy Easter, And Some Progress On The Home Front…

 I never really appreciated what an amazingly gifted dancer Fred Astaire was until I started doing Morris Dancing myself. Now I remain in awe of his agility and grace. Grace is the hardest thing. (And isn’t that true in the broader sense as well?)
……

And speaking of grace under pressure, we’re trying to Keep Calm and Carry On, but we probably have another week to go before our home project is finished, and boy are we READY for it to be done!

There’s still a bit of work to be done in all of the rooms, but petit monsieur’s room is probably closest to completion. Just a few pictures and a bulletin board to hang, a new bookshelf to replace the rack of plastic buckets you see there in the lower right hand corner.

Coco in the corner says Hi.

 Picture is a bit dark, but we’ve swapped out the annoying shade-and-valance window coverings in our bedroom for simple ring tab curtains from Pottery Barn.  Don’t know why we didn’t do this in the first place, so much easier and less expensive, and we can replace the fabric drapes if they get worn or we get tired of the color (these are a light chambray blue.) Now, just need the rest of them installed on the remaining windows…

Consider this a “Before” picture…we’re also going to be replacing the big heavy lamps on the nightstands with wall-mounted reading lights on either side of our bed (different finish, shade and bulb than shown in the picture). This new lighting store, Rejuvenation, just opened near us, and I love how almost everything in the store is customize-able, down to even the bulbs, so you can really get exactly the look you want. The fixtures and shades seem very nicely made, not flimsy or cheap.  We’re really looking forward to freeing up some space and getting rid of some of the nightstand clutter!

Our living/dining room is last room where serious work is going on: flooring and new paint. I just love this room and can hardly wait to see it all fresh and put back together! The old plaster walls had a lot of cracks that needed patching. They had to take apart my built-in bookshelves on either side of the fireplace to replace the flooring underneath, so now we have piles and boxes of books and glassware from the hutch piled up in this room and our den. And stuff from the den still piled in boxes in our bedroom. Everything in the house is covered with a fine dust from all of the sanding. Even once the work is done, we’ll have quite a task to clean everything up and put the rooms back together…and we’re leaving for France in another 11 days!

Keeping Calm (mostly) and Carrying On (do we have a choice?)…
~

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17 Comments

  1. I also try to Keep Calm and Carry on through home reno’s but I often require a glass or two of vin to maintain. Everything’s coming together so nicely for you – and I like your idea for wall-mounted reading lights.

  2. Renos are such a challenge, but it looks as if yours will be well worth the inconvenience.
    Didn’t realize our trip dates would overlap, although we probably won’t be in France at the same time (spend a few days in Amsterdam first). . .

  3. Lots of work and disruption but so worth it! Just think of how you’ll feel when you return home after the trip to such a bright and welcoming house!

  4. The during part of redecorating is the hard part, when it is all done it is so gratifying to take in the beauty of the new look. I look forward to seeing all your after pictures.

  5. So the bookshelves will be rebuilt or replaced? I do not envy the cleaning of all the fine dust…but somehow, it will all get done. You’ve made some lovely improvements.

  6. You are getting so much accomplished my dear…I know, I have been working on projects as well…come see! Change is a good thing!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena

  7. Nope, no choice now but to keep going; keep your eyes on the dust-free prize, Pseu, eyes on the prize. Just look at the before shots and your almost-afters when you’re feeling like you can’t take another moment of mess and disruption, ha.

    Control will be yours again in the very near future! [Not so sure it will be yours before leaving…but here’s hoping, right?]

  8. It’s always so exciting as renovation nears the end. I find it all very hopeful – the ability to refresh, to update, to renew a space and feel as though that investment has to do with confidence in your future.

    It’s also an opportunity to do some weeding out, and reshaping our environments as we change and need them to serve a changing purpose. And it’s amazing what a fresh coat of paint can do, and a lightening up of drapes or curtains. (And fun, too!)

  9. It’s all looking so good – as a former interior designer, I can sort of already “see” it done. You’ll love the wall mounted reading lamps too – they change your bedside world!

  10. Oh – I didn’t know Rejuvenation had B&M stores anywhere other than Portland OR! I ordered light fixtures from them for both my bathroom and kitchen remodels and they are perfect and very authentic in our 1909 crafstman. When I recently broke the shade to one of my kitchen task lights, I called them because I couldn’t remember the exact shade style. They still had my 2008 order in their computer and I was able to order an exact replacement. Love them.

    Good luck on your remodel. iT’s hard to live through but worth it in the end.

  11. What a lovely light blue color on the walls of your son´s room!
    And the big windows, French doors ( ? ) in the master bedroom are great.
    Interested in i.d. myself, would it be possible to get ( some day ) a set of ” lighter ” bedroom tables?
    The new lamps are a good idea, but since I favor decluttering, I´d suggest as little stuff on the bedside tables as possible ( just a hint )..

  12. Hi Coco! The rooms are looking really good Susan. Simple ring tab curtains feel light and free, don’t they?

    Most of the fixtures we purchased during our big reno in 2005 came from Rejuvenation. LOVE them.